受苦者的祈求

大卫求上帝眷顾的诗。

38 耶和华啊,
求你不要在发怒时惩罚我,
不要在烈怒下管教我。
因为你的箭射穿我,
你的手击打我。
你的怒气使我浑身是病,
我的罪恶使我骨头朽烂。
我的罪恶滔天,使我不堪其重。
我因愚昧而伤口溃烂流脓。
我疼得弯腰驼背,
终日哀伤。
我的腰灼痛难忍,
我浑身是病。
我精疲力尽,彻底崩溃;
我心中悲伤,呻吟不止。
主啊,你知道我的渴望,
听见了我的叹息。
10 我的心砰砰直跳,
气力衰竭,
眼睛黯淡无光。
11 因我的疾病,朋友同伴回避我,
亲人远离我。
12 谋害我的人设下陷阱,
想害我的人威胁我,
整天图谋奸计。
13 但我像听不见的聋子,
无法说话的哑巴。
14 我就像一个不能听、不能辩的人。
15 耶和华啊,我等候你;
主,我的上帝啊,你必应允我。
16 我曾求告你,
别让他们幸灾乐祸,
在我失脚时沾沾自喜。
17 我快要跌倒,
我的痛苦无休无止。
18 我要承认我的罪过,
罪恶使我心里惴惴不安。
19 我的仇敌势力强大,
无故恨我的人不计其数。
20 我追求良善,
他们就恨我,以恶报善。
21 耶和华啊,求你不要撇弃我!
我的上帝啊,求你不要远离我!
22 拯救我的主啊,
求你快来帮助我!

在痛苦中认罪祈求

大卫的记念诗。

38 耶和华啊!求你不要在忿怒中责备我,

也不要在烈怒中管教我。

因为你的箭射入我身,

你的手压住我。

因你的忿怒,我体无完肤;

因我的罪恶,我的骨头都不安妥。

我的罪孽高过我的头,

如同重担,使我担当不起。

因为我的愚昧,

我的伤口发臭流脓。

我屈身弯腰,弯到极低,

整天哀痛,到处行走。

我的两腰灼痛,

我体无完肤。

我已经疲乏无力,被压得粉碎了;

我因心里痛苦而唉哼。

主啊!我的心愿都在你面前,

我不向你隐瞒我的叹息。

10 我的心剧烈跳动,我的力量衰退;

连我眼中的光彩也消逝了。

11 我的良朋密友因我的灾祸,都站到一旁去;

我的亲人也都站得远远的。

12 那些寻索我命的,设下网罗;

那些想要害我的,口说威吓的话,

他们整天思想诡计。

13 至于我,像个聋子,不能听见;

像个哑巴,不能开口。

14 我竟变成了一个像是不能听见的人,

变成了一个口中不能反驳的人。

15 耶和华啊!我等候你;

主我的 神啊!你必应允我。

16 因为我曾说:“恐怕他们向我夸耀;

我的脚滑跌的时候,不要让他们向我夸口。”

17 我随时会跌倒,

我的痛苦常在我面前。

18 我要承认我的罪孽,

我要因我的罪忧伤。

19 但我强悍的仇敌众多,

无理憎恨我的不断增加。

20 那些以恶报善的都与我作对,

因为我追求良善。

21 耶和华啊!求你不要离弃我;

我的 神啊,求你不要远离我。

22 拯救我的主啊!

求你快来帮助我。

Psalm 38

A song of David for remembering.

This is one of a group of psalms known in later tradition as the penitential psalms, namely, psalms that confess sins and express confidence in God’s mercy. In this psalm a serious illness threatens the life of the worshiper.

O Eternal One, please do not scold me in Your anger;
    though Your wrath is just, do not correct me in Your fury.
The arrows from Your bow have penetrated my flesh;
    Your hand has come down hard on me.

Because Your anger has infected the depths of my being and stolen my health,
    my flesh is ill.
My bones are no longer sound
    because of all the sins I have committed.
My guilt has covered me; it’s more than I can handle;
    this burden is too heavy for me to carry.

Now sores cover me—infected and putrid sores,
    because of all the foolish things I have done.
I am bent down, cowering in fear, prostrate on the ground;
    I spend the day in mourning, guilty tears stinging and burning my eyes.
My back aches. I’m full of fever;
    my body is no longer whole, no longer well.
I am completely numb, totally spent, hopelessly crushed.
    The agitation of my heart makes me groan.

O Lord, You know all my desires;
    nothing escapes You; You hear my every moan.
10 My heart pounds against my chest; my vigor is completely drained;
    my eyes were once bright, but now the brightness is all gone.
11 Even my friends and loved ones turn away when they see this marked man;
    those closest to me are no longer close at all.

12 Those who want me dead lay traps upon my path;
    those who desire my downfall threaten—my end is near—
    they spend their days plotting against me.

13 Like one who is deaf, my ears do not hear.
    Like one who is mute, my tongue cannot speak.
14 The truth is this: I am like one who cannot hear;
    I cannot even protest against them.

15 Still I wait expectantly for You, O Eternal One—
    knowing You will answer me in some way, O Lord, my True God.
16 I only asked, “When I stumble on the narrow path,
    don’t let them boast or celebrate my failure.

17 I am prepared for what may come; my time must be short;
    my pain and suffering a constant companion.
18 I confess, “I have sinned,”
    and I regret the wrong I have done.
19 My enemies are alive and well,
    they are powerful and on the increase,
    and for no reason, they hate me.
20 When I do good, my opponents reward me with evil;
    though I pursue what is right, they stand against me.

21 Eternal One, do not leave me to their mercy;
    my True God, don’t be far from me when they are near.
22 I need Your help now—not later.
    O Lord, be my Rescuer.